A/N: in order to understand parts of this chapter, some cliff notes for those unfamiliar with QaF. Long term couple Melanie Marcus and Lindsay Peterson, who are a part of the friend group and are very dear to all of the other characters, left Liberty Avenue to move to Canada at the end of the series (which is why they've been MIA so far in this story). After saying goodbye to the gang they take their two children and literally drive off into the sunset. The reason I held off a bit about bringing them in is I wanted to make it a little bit of an event, if that makes sense.
They were played by the amazing Michelle Clunie and Thea Gill. The QaF cast has done several panels and reunions over the years, including one this past summer, and trust me, google these ladies because they have just gotten even more beautiful with time.
Also the song Brittany strips to is 'Ooh La La' by Goldfrapp.
X
I am growing in peculiar ways
into a light I pass
another dream, another chance
- The Verve
X
''You motherfucking piece of motherfucking shit! Fuck you! Fuck you sideways! Fuck!''
Under the bright afternoon sun Brittany, Justin and Brian stood back and watched silently as Santana attacked a bush with her tiny golf putter while she muttered expletives under her breath.
The four of them were in the middle of a large course playing a game of mini golf and Santana had just flicked her ball into a tall hedge which she promptly whacked out of frustration.
Normally this wouldn't exactly be Santana's scene but Brittany and Justin had a way about them, and Brian fared no better. He and Santana both huffed and puffed in futile but in the end they couldn't manage to say no to those two pairs of blue eyes blinking at them.
They were kinda fucked.
But, Santana thought, she had to support any opportunity Brittany chose to sport those amazing white short shorts that showed off her even more amazing legs. If she had to suffer through some mini golf to enjoy the view so be it.
She resigned herself to an afternoon of this ridiculous game but somewhere in the middle of it they all discovered the blondes had a knack for it. Brittany especially who was in the lead and barely even trying half the time, sometimes goofily dancing about the scene. Justin held his own as well but he too didn't appear to be giving it much concentration and was just having a laugh as he played along.
She and Brian however?
Well.
A handful of plays in Santana found herself growing agitated at her complete and utter lack of skill on the green felt. Aren't lesbians supposed to be good at golf, she wondered as she whacked her putter at the poor shrub, and if so why did she suck so hard at this.
''Why don't you just play through this one,'' Brittany suggested helpfully after a moment.
''No,'' Santana declared with a stubborn mirthless chuckle as she took the few steps back to the hole in question, dropped her ball and wiggled her shoulders as she readied herself for the stroke. ''I'm doing this. This stupid game will not make me it's bottom bitch.''
''We've been at this hole for twenty minutes already,'' Justin gently reminded her, fighting a small smile that threatened to break out onto his face.
''I think it's time you accept defeat, Santana,'' Brian teased.
Santana turned to the dark haired man and threw him a playful little glare. ''I didn't see you doing that when you got so pissed off at the last hole you threw your putter into one of those fountains.''
Brian scoffed as if to say as if, even though he did recently have to retrieve his own putter from one of the courses many water fountains after a particularly fussy, rageful tantrum.
Santana, meanwhile, took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she pushed her putter to make contact with her ball. The ball itself bounced down the felt, hitting the sides of the tiny partitions surrounding the playing area until it totally and completely bypassed the hole.
Santana grunted. ''Sonofa-''
''Okay, let's take a breath,'' Brittany said, setting her own putter aside and moving towards Santana.
The blonde positioned herself behind her, sliding her arms around so that her hands were now placed over Santana's on the grip of the small golf club. Bent at a slight angle, Santana relaxed and smirked as she felt her ass rub against the front of Brittany's lap with each practice swing. Brittany went through the motion several times, completely unaware of the funny harmless delight Santana was taking in having her wrapped around her body. If Brittany was going to play handsy instructor like this, she might even consider joining golf club.
''I think you're using maybe a little too much force,'' Brittany said into her ear. ''Why don't you try gently tapping it? Like make it one smooth motion. Like this.''
''Like what?'' Santana asked, fully aware of what Brittany was trying to communicate in this exercise but totally trying to prolong the contact between them.
''Like this, nice and smooth, see,'' Brittany said, showing her how to putt once more.
''Show me again one more time.''
Pleased with herself and their position, Santana threw Justin and Brian a funny little face and wiggled her brows and they smiled back at her, shaking their heads at her obvious antics.
The men watched Brittany attempt to help and Santana attempt to learn for a few minutes, all the while occasionally a couple or a family would smile and nod at them as they bypassed them to the next hole.
After a few more practice putts Brittany dropped a new ball into place in front of them and helped her take a real shot. Hitting the ball with just enough force to propel it without sending it zig-zagging all over the place. It stopped a mere few inches from the hole in ground. Santana's shoulders sagged in disappointment and Brittany quickly untangled herself, took the few steps towards the resting ball and nudged it in with her shoe.
''See, you got it. Hole in one, San,'' Brittany said, throwing a wink at Santana and nodding at Justin to write it down on the scorecard. The blonde man did as instructed and jotted it.
She knew it wasn't an actual hole in one, Brittany knew it wasn't a hole in one, Brian and Justin knew it wasn't a hole in one but screw that, Santana thought as she went to Brittany. She was practically bouncing with energy and pride, doing a little wiggly dance in Brittany's arms and laying a giant wonderful sloppy kiss to the girl's cheek in celebration of her first semi-successful putt.
Brian turned to Justin. ''Why don't you help me out like that?''
''Bend over and I will,'' Justin replied, tapping the side of Brian's ass.
''Maybe tonight.'' Brian wrapped an arm around Justin's neck and kissed his blonde hair.
They played on with Brittany and Justin of course leading the score throughout each section and rather than having to watch their partners grunt and pout over their own poor golf skills the cousins simply fudged the numbers on their behalf, indulging Brian and Santana. Because while they claimed not to give a shit about the game or the score they both had gotten a little agitated with the knowledge that they were horrible at something as silly as mini golf. They were still losing of course but the number gap was a lot easier to swallow.
With Brittany and Brian lagging behind just slightly, Santana found herself falling into step with Justin.
''Britt told me all about your amazing date last night,'' Justin said to her, glancing back to see Brittany playfully slap Brian's hand away when he attempted to nab a piece of cotton candy she had just gotten from a nearby kiosk. ''She sent me a photo of the skyline at night - how did you manage to shut down the Mon Incline?''
''I'm Santana Lopez, and if there's one thing I'm beginning to understand it's that I can do fucking anything,'' she said, sporting a grin.
''That you can.''
''I figured Britt would love the water and the lights so I sweet talked a couple of people over the phone and for once I used my superpowers of persuasion and manipulation for good. Debbie kind of helped though with getting the food set up there.''
''The milk in champagne glasses was a sweet touch.''
''Yeah well, Brittany really deserved it. She deserves everything,'' Santana paused briefly to look back at the blonde in question who was now begrudgingly sharing her cotton candy treat with Brian, which in all honesty was a ridiculous sight, ''She's had to wait a long time for this, for us. I just wanted to do something special to show her I was worth the wait.''
Justin looked at her with the tiniest of smiles. ''If you ask me she already knows that. She's always known that.''
''Even still...I wanted to give that to her anyway.''
''Well, I'm glad you two had a nice evening,'' Justin nodded and changed the course of conversation. ''Speaking of Debbie though, it's her birthday and tonight Michael is having a little party for her. I was hoping if you and Britt weren't busy you might pop in for a bit. She seems to have taken a real liking to you both.''
''Does she do that with everyone?''
''Do what?''
''Take a liking?''
He paused for a moment in consideration, raising his putter and placing it against his shoulder. ''If someone walks into the diner with a problem, Debbie will always lend an ear and a hand if she can, but she only has a handful of people that she really sees as her sons and daughters. And when she 'adopts' you, you're in for life. Like a mother sometimes she's there to tell you to get your shit together but she's also there to push you forward with an encouraging word. Or a slap to the back of the head. I mostly get encouraging words, Brian gets more slaps to the head.''
Santana chuckled at that. ''Me and Britt have plans for later in the evening but I'm thinking we can swing by and make an appearance.''
''Great,'' Justin beamed.
It was then that Brittany and Brian caught up to them just as they were entering the safari-themed section of the course. Perhaps due to the fact that she had just inhaled a giant wad of cotton candy Brittany, for no apparent reason, threw half of her body on top of one of the many fake animal statues littering this part of the course. Absolutely tickled Justin had pulled out his phone and was in the process of taking a picture of her when Santana moved behind her, making as if she were mounting Brittany from behind. She pumped her hips and made hilarious faux cum faces for the camera as Brittany laughed uncontrollably beneath her.
Santana fake-groaned, ''oh yeah, that's it, almost there.''
Brian, meanwhile, watched the scene, his fist pressed to his mouth as he held in his amusement with their silly horsing around.
''It's okay to laugh you know,'' Justin said to him. ''When are you going to openly admit that deep down you enjoy their company. Brian Kinney has made a couple of friends in these two cheerleaders.''
''That is the strangest most fucked up sentence in all of existence,'' Brian said airly.
''Don't think I haven't noticed that you and Santana have been talking lately, hanging out even without me and Brittany there to work as buffers.''
Brian shrugged. ''She's articulate and driven and she doesn't kiss anyone's ass or take anyone's shit, not even mine...there's something in that I can admire.''
Justin smiled with the knowledge that Brian was building what looked to be an interesting and unique friendship with the dark haired girl.
''I'm proud of you, you know,'' said Justin.
Brian raised a questioning eyebrow, not quite following.
''I know it isn't always easy for you to let people in,'' Justin continued, ''to see them, or let them see you. It means a lot to me that you're making effort in your own ways. I mean you're standing in the middle of a mini golf course for god sake, I know you wouldn't be here if you didn't want to be.''
''Yeah, well,'' Brian said, smiling devilishly and downplaying it all, ''I'm only here to score boyfriend brownie points. I'm playing fucking mini golf - I think I should be rewarded for that, preferably by letting me fuck you in the shower tonight.''
''Ahh, but I thought we agreed I was topping tonight,'' Justin said, raising a finger.
Santana and Brittany hopped down from the silly animal statue and came over to join the men. Once Justin emailed the series of photos of them off to Brittany's phone she promptly sent them out to Quinn, Mercedes and Tina, each of them replying with a humorous response. You're both utterly ridiculous...I love it, Quinn texted back.
The four of them continued on, goofing and chatting and taking occasional breaks to scarf down junk food. By the end of the course Brian was especially pouty as he was in dead last place. Brittany attempted to cheer him up by gifting him a giant brightly colored sucker the size of an adult's hand she got from a nearby vendor.
''Thanks Brittany,'' Brian said, looking oddly boyish.
''Why does he get a sucker and I don't?'' Santana asked, ridiculously adorable in her disappointment.
''Because I'm giving you sex later,'' Brittany answered, and Santana immediately perked up.
Justin shook his head at his boyfriend who was seriously eyeing the piece of candy. ''You're not seriously going to eat that?''
''Fuck yes I'm seriously going to eat this,'' Brian declared with a grin, seemingly game for the challenge. ''What, you don't think I can?''
Justin attempted to talk sense into his boyfriend. ''Not in one sitting. You're gonna get sick.'' He turned to the girls in explanation. ''Brian always does this. He's always on about his diet and working out like a fiend but every once and awhile he goes off and turns into this little food monster and overindulges to the point where he falls into a total food coma.''
''That is false,'' Brian said, attempting to save face in front of the two teenage girls.
Justin wasn't hearing it. ''I once watched you eat an entire box of eclairs on your own and then roll around complaining about a tummy ache.''
''Oh my god,'' Brittany laughed, ''you should have seen this once where Santana inhaled like a tray of cupcakes at school. She had frosting all over her mouth and clothes. It was cute...I mean until I had to practically carry her to the school nurse's office because she felt ill after cupcake number eight.''
''What? That didn't happen at all,'' Santana said in her defense. ''I did no such thing.''
Justin and Brittany looked to each other as if communicating something silently to the other, their expressions saying 'we should just let these two think what they want to think, we both know the truth', and together the two cousins began walking away, leaving Brian and Santana walking in sync behind them as all four began making their way out of the golf course and towards the vehicles.
''Break me off a little piece of that,'' Santana said to Brian, who already had his tongue on the giant sucker.
''Psh, get your own, your girlfriend gave this to me.''
She made a grab for it and he yanked it out of her grasp. ''Oh come on.''
''Mine!'' he whined.
X
After spending the day in the blazing sun she and Brittany returned to the loft and promptly fell into bed to take a nice, lazy afternoon nap in the comfort of the A/C. When they woke an hour later they came to relax in the sitting area. While Santana, clad in a t shirt and panties, sat cross legged on the couch with a small, slim netbook in her lap Brittany stood a few feet away stretching herself out in front of the large window looking down and out over the neighborhood.
She had clasped her hands together and held them above her head while she slowly rolled her neck, working out the slight ache that always accompanied a mid-afternoon nap. Santana took an appreciative peek before looking back at the screen in front of her and continuing to read.
''So are you ever going to tell me what you and Brian are up to?'' Brittany asked, dropping her hands and taking another stretching stance.
''I promise you'll find out soon.''
''Can you at least tell me on a scale of 1 to Gremlins, how evil is it?''
''It's not evil at all. Anyway, how about you, are you going to give me any hints about what we're going to sing tonight when we hit up Woody's?''
Their plan was to make a quick stop in at Debbie's birthday bash before stepping out to hit up karaoke at the bar where they would take the stage for their first official duet. Santana had given Brittany final say on song selection but the girl was keeping mum on her choice.
''Nope,'' Brittany chirped.
''What if I don't know it and need time to prepare?'' Santana asked. She was confident that whatever it was, she would be able to nail it on the spot but she was still curious to get it out of Brittany.
''Trust me, you'll totally own it. We both will.''
''If you say so.''
Santana chuckled and went back to her device and began distracting herself. Hopping from Facebook to her email to an article about vocal health to Tumblr, occasionally clicking out of several IM conversations Rachel tossed her way once she saw that Santana was online. She had to smile at the girl's persistence, and annoying as it was, well, she couldn't help but kind of miss the dwarf. She zinged out a few silly jabs at Rachel who by now knew not to take them to heart and seemed somewhat delighted at the response and used way more smiley emoticons than Santana thought was really necessary. The chat session was brief and she again lost herself in the dozens of open tabs in her browser.
She didn't even notice when Brittany wandered to the corner of the loft with the sound system set up, or how the blonde started flicking through the pile of CDs they had purchased several days back at Daphne's store. After shuffling through them a few times she picked one out and put it to play and soon some sexy low little synthy thing of a song was filling up the loft.
Dial up my number now, weaving it through the wire, switch me on, turn me up, I don't want Baudelaire, just glitter lust. Switch me on, turn me up, I want to touch you, you're just made for love. I need la-la-la-la-la-la, I need ooh-la-la-la…
''Santana?''
''Yeah?'' Santana replied, her eyes still glued to the glowing screen.
''Santana?''
''Mmhm?''
Santana looked up to see a very familiar smirk on Brittany's face. It was a smirk that implied impending nakedness and orgasms. The blonde was slowly making her way towards her on the couch, with each step she took a little shimmy; the popping of a button, the pulling of a zipper.
''What are you doing?'' Santana asked, even though she was pretty sure she was on the receiving end of what looked to be the beginning of a strip tease.
Brittany made no verbal response, she just continued to move her body, gracefully dancing out of the bottom half of her outfit to reveal herself in tight yellow panties with little pink hearts all over them, the article of clothing somehow both adorable and sexy at the same time. She then moved to stand in front of Santana who was all grins as she tossed her device to the side and leaned back to enjoy the view, and what a view it was as Brittany turned around and wiggled her rear to the beat of the song.
Unable to resist Santana reached out to stroke it a few times. Even encased in underwear it was still one of the most magnificent things she had ever seen, or would ever see.
''You have the hottest little ass,'' Santana said, giving it a nice squeeze and the lightest of swats, almost coming at the sound her hand made against the soft skin.
She spent several moments appreciating and touching that body part and had to whimper slightly when Brittany turned back around, denying her the sight of it. Thankfully she more than made up for it when the blonde began to remove her top, which was a snap-button denim thing that she took more time than was necessary to pop open. She dragged out the process, allowing Santana to watch anxiously and with open fascination as she pulled each button open.
''If I knew this is what I'd get for agreeing to a ridiculous double date I would have been down for it a long time ago,'' Santana said.
When Brittany finished with all of the buttons she didn't slide the article of clothing off just yet though, instead opting to leave it on so that a single, bare strip of pale skin was on display, from her collarbone to just past her belly button.
She straddled Santana then, who reached out to cup her ass, very much enjoying the slow show Brittany was putting on for her, even more so now that she was in her lap gently grinding against her. The blonde's body moved slowly and purposefully to the rhythm of the song and Santana shivered when Brittany's hands sank into her hair, her fingertips softly running about against her scalp and driving her mad.
''You make me feel so good,'' Brittany moaned.
''Oh I'm about to make you feel really good alright,'' Santana laughed into her kiss as her hands moved to Brittany's front, sliding inside the open shirt to palm her breasts.
''You are?''
''I am. I'm going to lick you everywhere, I'm going to make you so fucking wet and hot.'' Santana took a deep breath, ''and when I'm ready I'll spread your legs and fuck you. I'm gonna fuck you so hard and so good and for so long, Britt. Is that what you want?''
Brittany answered with a sly smile and bit her bottom lip in anticipation.
In one swift motion Santana tipped them over and to the side, guiding Brittany to lay beneath her as she took the lead, licking and kissing a trail from the girl's pale abs up to her mouth.
''I can't control-uh-uh-uh-control myself with you,'' Santana panted against her skin.
''Then don't.''
''I want you all the time.''
''You have me...all the time,'' Brittany said softly in assurance as Santana went about planting kisses against her jaw and neck.
She felt one of Brittany's hands snake down into her panties to cup at her ass, and when that wasn't enough, pushing them down partially past her hips only to go back to squeeze and urge Santana on.
Before either one of them could register what was happening though the sliding door was opening loudly and a couple of feminine voices yelped in shock. She and Brittany froze with the new and sudden knowledge that they were no longer alone.
Santana tilted her head to the side and while she hadn't a clue who had just walked in, just out of the corner of her eye she could spot two figures standing absolutely still as statues in the doorway of the loft.
''Who the hell are you?!'' one figured replied harshly.
As Brittany went about buttoning her top up, Santana pulled up the side of her panties that had been pushed down. Together they shuffled around the couch for a few seconds making themselves presentable before standing and turning to look at their surprise visitors.
''Who the hell am I?'' Santana scoffed. ''Who the hell are you?''
A tall blonde woman stood alongside a slightly shorter brunnette. They both appeared to be around the age of Brian, Michael and the others, somewhere in their 30's. Santana blinked as she suddenly recognized the two women from the pictures on Brian's phone.
''I'm Melanie,'' said the brunnette.
''And I'm Lindsay,'' said the blonde.
Or as they were so often referred to by their friends and family Mel and Linds.
Brian hadn't volunteered much information on the pair, just that they had moved to Canada a couple of years before, but on one or two of their outings Justin had mentioned the female couple a few times to her and Brittany.
The way the blonde man spoke of this Lindsay and Melanie to Santana, it had sounded like they were kind of a big deal. He went on about how much he admired them and how they were hands down the most stable relationship he'd ever witnessed first hand. He even said he was the ringbearer at their wedding and proudly touted the fact that he was even there with Brian when Melanie and Lindsay's first born was brought into the world.
If she remembered correctly the petite dark haired Melanie was supposed to be a successful no nonsense lawyer and Lindsay, the tall blonde, was an art professor. While they both had incredibly professional careers according to Justin they could cut loose and have a laugh and a beer with the rest of them. Melanie and Lindsay weren't perfect, Justin had said to she and Brittany, but they were damn near it.
There in the loft the older female pair stared blankly at Brittany and Santana.
''And you are…?'' Melanie asked, looking ten kinds of confused.
X
Somehow their introductions between the two female couples led to a conversation and the conversation eventually spilled out onto the streets. Now donned in clothes and together with Brittany, Santana was walking and talking with the two older women down Liberty Avenue in a slow stroll as they made their way towards the Liberty diner.
''So let me get this straight,'' Melanie began as they all came to pause at a cross section, ''you're Justin's cousin?''
''Brittany was it?'' Lindsay inquired softly, all smiles.
''Mmhm,'' Brittany nodded along.
Melanie and Lindsay looked to each other, then to Brittany and back to each other. ''They do look remarkably alike, wouldn't you say?'' Lindsay's eyes lit up intrigued with this information.
''Eerily so,'' Melanie said in agreement.
''Right down to the cute button nose. You're just darling.''
Brittany smiled at the attention from the two women, skidding her sneaker against the pavement in an aw shucks manner.
''And what pray-fucking-tell am I?'' Santana asked, which earned her a deep hearty laugh from Lindsay who seemed to be amused by the foul language and a tiny scowl from Melanie, who clearly wasn't as impressed by it.
''You kiss your mother with that mouth?'' Melanie asked with a straight face.
''No, but I kiss yours,'' Santana quipped.
Melanie widened her eyes and stepped forward as if about to deliver a stern lecture. ''Excuse me, you little-''
''Hey now,'' Lindsay halting Melanie with a soft touch, ''we've raised two children together, I would think you'd have much more patience than that.''
''Yeah, Melanie, I'm just a child,'' Santana teased, turning on the puppy dog eyes for effect, even going so far as to purposely make her bottom lip tremble ever so slightly, fully aware she was grinding the gears of the other dark haired woman.
''What was your name again?'' Lindsay asked her.
''Santana,'' Brittany answered for her, shaking her head at Santana's antics but pulling her into her side all the same. ''She's my girlfriend slash best friend slash everything.''
''Oh that was abundantly clear judging from what we walked in on,'' Melanie remarked.
A few minutes later they arrived at the diner and were promptly greeted by Debbie.
''Oh my god. Oh my FUCKING god!'' Debbie hollered at the sight of Melanie and Lindsay walking into the front door.
In an instant she was pulling them both into a giant motherly embrace that lasted for several long moments. The female couple seemed to enjoy the hug for the first few moments but Santana and Brittany had to laugh as they watched both Lindsay and Melanie begin to squirm in an attempt to end Debbie's overly long hug that seemed to be squeezing the air out of them.
When Melanie and Lindsay were finally able to pull away and stand upright Debbie asked what brought them in. Melanie and Lindsay smiled and shook their heads about, as if they thought it was obvious.
''It's your birthday, Deb,'' Melanie said.
''You know we wouldn't miss your party for the world,'' Lindsay said softly.
Debbie mouthed a silent 'thank you', looking soft and touched that they thought nothing of dropping everything to come for her special night.
''So where are my grandkids?'' Debbie asked, finding her voice.
''With an old friend,'' Melanie answered, ''they konked out after the flight in and Lindsay and I figured we'd visit around.''
''We just came from Brian and Justin's loft,'' Lindsay continued, ''we heard they were taking some time out of New York to come back home this summer as well-''
''-but when we opened the door we saw...'' Melanie blinked and tilted her head sideways, gesturing to Brittany and Santana.
''Oh them?'' Debbie said, looking over at the two younger women. ''They're Liberty Avenue's latest new foundlings. I found them on the diner's doorstep snuggled up in a little basket.''
After a bit more of chit chat and joshing around Debbie departed. Her shift was over and she was off to pamper herself a bit before the gathering later in the evening. Once the older woman left with the promise to catch up later, Melanie and Lindsay went to slide themselves into a booth and were soon joined by Santana and Brittany who came to sit across from them.
''So what are you buying me to eat?'' Santana asked, flicking a finger at the menu in Melanie's hand, much to the women's annoyance.
''Who said I'm buying you anything?'' the lawyer narrowed her eyes.
''Uhhhhh, I think you owe me that at least,'' Santana said cockily, ''you totally saw my naked ass, glorious thing that it is. You're welcome by the way. So ungrateful...I swear.''
Lindsay lightly chuckled at the exchange and Santana grinned cheekily, delighting in the sort of approval.
A stone-faced Melanie looked to Brittany. ''Is your girlfriend always this lovely?''
''Pretty much,'' Brittany answered as she stared down at her own menu.
Melanie turned to her tickled wife and shook her head. ''You see what this is, right?''
''See what what is?'' Lindsay asked, taking a sip of water.
''This,'' Melanie said, pointing at the two, indicting Santana and Lindsay herself. ''This is you and Brian and your weird friendship all over again where he says or does something inappropriate, disgusting or offensive or all of the above and you feed him your approval with your laughter and I end up looking like a stick in the mud.''
Lindsay awwww'd at Melanie, leaned into her side and rubbed her back. ''You're not a stick in the mud, you just...have a different sense of humor. Besides. Look at her,'' Lindsay made a tiny gesture with her hand to a smirking Santana, ''she's harmless.''
Brittany nodded and piped up. ''She really is. She's like the sweetest, cutest wittle cupcake ever.''
Brittany proceeded to kiss Santana's cheek repeatedly, making adorable lippy-smacky sounds against her skin.
''Britt,'' Santana whispered, slumping her shoulders in embarrassment, not at the display of affection, but at the fact that Brittany was pretty much shattering her snarky badass image up in front of their two new acquaintances who appeared to be delighting in the fact that Brittany was smooching on her in such a silly manner. ''I'm not a wittle cupcake. I'm not a wittle anything.''
''How long have you two been together?'' Brittany asked, glancing over at the other pairs matching wedding bands.
''We're coming on, what, thirteen years now,'' Lindsay said cheerily, taking Melanie's hand within her own.
Santana went slack jawed with that information. ''Oh my god, how?''
At the exact same time Brittany exclaimed, ''that's amazing!''
''We've only really been married for half of it but all together yes, thirteen,'' Melanie clarified, looking very proud of the fact.
''And we have two beautiful children,'' Lindsay continued, happily handing her phone over to Brittany. As a mother she of course had dozens upon dozens of adorable pictures of her kids on it, and as a mother she was of course happy to show them off.
''Aww,'' Brittany squeed at the photo of a laughing little toddler girl.
''That's Jenny, she's three.''
''What's your son's name?'' Brittany asked, flicking to another photo.
''Gus,'' Melanie supplied.
Lindsay laughed. ''Believe it or not your cousin is the one who helped name him. Of course it was only later that we learned it was also the name of his stuffed teddy bear when he was a kid.''
''Gus...Gus, the teddy bear,'' Brittany grinned as she connected the dots in her head. ''Oh my gosh, I have that teddy bear! He gave it to me when he and his parents moved their family from Ohio to Pittsburgh. I still have it. Gus the bear is in my room back home!''
''Probably getting humped to death by Lord Tubbington,'' Santana added.
''What about you guys?'' Melanie asked. ''How long have you two been together?''
''That's kind of hard to answer,'' said Santana. ''But I'd go with three days.''
At the same time Brittany answered with ''-three years.''
Santana wrinkled her nose slightly and explained. ''Depending on your definition of together, either three days or three years.''
''Well, in our own way I like to think three years,'' Brittany said.
Not pressing for more information Lindsay simply nodded and smiled. ''Either way, that's wonderful.''
Even the slightly more standoffish Melanie had to agree. ''It is.''
The two couples chatted for a bit, while Lindsay and Melanie ate a proper meal Brittany and Santana took to munching on cookies. Brittany went on, shooting question after question at the other couple, about their life, about their relationship. Her eyes going bright as she listened in on each of their answers.
Santana however eventually grew tired of grinding Mel's gears and she too couldn't help but become interested in what Melanie and Lindsay had to share. But whereas Brittany seemed thrilled by their stories and life, Santana found herself wondering about all this talk of babies and mortgages and responsibility.
At one point in time it wasn't something she thought she would ever see: two women, committed and in love and proud. Lindsay and Melanie were doing it all and had been for thirteen years.
It more than blew her mind.
They had it all, the house and the kids and the white picket fence. It was in it's own way cool and impressive to see two women take on the world together and succeed. Sure, Lindsay and Melanie were pretty smoking and all for, like, people in thirties, and they weren't total squares but they were what one would call a very traditional couple.
They had designed a very beautiful life together and while she wasn't entirely sure if that was the specific life for her, it made her think and believe with the knowledge that if she wanted it this a real option. Because it was here, sitting right across from her in Melanie. In Lindsay.
Breathing and tangible in a way she never imagined. Thinking back to junior year and the struggle, she couldn't even picture something like this. It just seemed so far away and impossible. Now many things that she once thought unattainable, unreachable seemed much more closer than ever before.
They'd only spent a little over a week in this neighborhood but she had come to understand that anything is possible on Liberty Avenue, yes, but beyond that she was also realizing that maybe anything is possible anywhere.
X
Twenty minutes outside of the city Brian and Justin were hanging about in the bedroom of their country house. Brian had bought it for them right before Justin had went off to New York, and even after Brian followed he never thought to give it up.
Justin had once said that out there somewhere was the country manor of his dreams, with stables and a fireplace and a swimming pool and Brian wanted to show him how serious he was about what they had between them. And though they had to spend some time apart Brian always felt like this sprawling giant beautiful space was always meant to be Justin's.
He kept it in the hopes that the artist would always know no matter what, success or fail, they would always have this place for two of them. Close enough to the city, but tucked far enough away to that they could feel like they were the only two people on the planet.
Also, Brian really liked it because whenever they stayed there the giant estate made him feel like Bruce Wayne and a part of him always liked to think he was part superhero.
He was Rage after all, he told himself as he laid about in bed in a tank and jeans reading over the rough drafts of the latest issue of the comic named after his alter ego.
He knew that Michael carried on making the comic but he hadn't actually paid much attention to any of the storylines since Justin bowed out of it in order to focus on his own art. When Justin told him that was going to make a return to do the artwork for one special issue Brian figured he'd see what kind of story would prompt his boyfriend to want to come back to it.
''Why the hell is Rage getting his ass beat?'' Brian asked, holding up a sketch of Rage getting captured by some grotesque villain. ''I would never get my ass handed to me.''
''Within the structure of this story it makes sense,'' Justin said as he stood a few feet away looking through their closet and trying to sort out what he was going to wear to the party. ''Don't worry, Rage survives and lives to be fabulous another day.''
Brian scratched the side of his head as he continued to read the small storyboards Justin had already printed out. ''I don't understand though. This is an issue of Rage, but Rage and JT are barely in this one at all. They only have a few scenes.''
''Exactly.''
''Still don't get it.''
''You know how TV shows sometimes use an episode as a backdoor pilot for an upcoming TV show?''
Brian chuckled inwardly to himself. ''Backdoor.''
Justin shook his head at his boyfriend's crude sense of humor. ''It's kind of like that, it's a sort of framing device to tell the story of this other masked hero and her origins and love interest. It could work as a one off issue but Michael is talking about expanding the universe and being more inclusive. He kinda has this idea of spinning off Snix into her own legit comic.''
The dark haired man held up a small panel with Santana's sketched face printed on it, complete with eyemask, just like Rage's. ''So this Snix...it's Santana right?''
Justin nodded as he went over to plop himself into bed next to Brian and the two of them came to lay side by side, heads slightly bumping together on the same pillow as they held up the artwork in their hands to examine it. ''It's kind of amazing really when you think about it.''
Brian found a picture of Rage in the pile and placed it next to the Snix sketch. ''What, that we're both dark, dashing and hilarious?'' he asked.
Justin blinked as he studied both sketches with a serious eye. ''Well there's that sure, but...you know at first glance Rage and Snix could almost be perceived as villains because they're a little cocky and a little mean but they're not. You're not, neither of you are villains. You're the furthest thing from it actually. You're the anti-heros...put on this earth to change it. To challenge it.''
''And look good doing so in tights.''
Justin's body shook in laughter. ''And look good doing so in tights, yeah.''
Brian flipped to another storyboard. ''So at the end of this issue Snix and Rage...become friends?''
''I don't know if it's that simple. The story is more complex than that. They understand each other. I'd say allies for sure. Allies that sling bitchy zingers at each other, but allies nonetheless. By the end they realize they have the same superpowers.'' Justin turned and watched Brian think over the story and the art. ''So what do you think?''
''...I think it's genius and dark and truthful. Rage still sells pretty well but I think you're gonna sell a shit ton of these.''
''I think so too,'' Justin said, grinning at his own work.
''You'll probably make a pretty penny too. You're a name now,'' Brian continued, Justin's work was praised and photographed and featured many places, it also sold for obscene amounts of money, ''when people find out that you're coming back to the Rage verse to do the artwork for a special issue these are going to fly off the shelves.''
''That's my hope but I don't really care about the money,'' Justin raised a shoulder, ''I'm doing pretty well. I was actually going to give Britt and Santana half of my cut...you know, something to put away for college or whatever they end up doing after high school. The rest I was going to donate to the local LGBTQ youth center.''
Brian looked over at Justin, quietly amazed by his nonchalant, unhesitant generosity. He could never not be in complete awe of this man's heart. He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against blonde hair, breathing him in and simply basking in the closeness.
''You're a superhero too, you know that right?'' Brian whispered before laying a warm kiss on him.
Justin blinked, smiling his reply as he kissed back. Only whimpering slightly when Brian abruptly pulled away.
''You know what...I just had one of my trademark brilliant ideas,'' Brian said, scratching at his jaw in thought as the gears turned in his head.
''Is it 'take your pants off, bend over'?''
''No-I mean absolutely yes-but also... Do you remember what I did when you and Michael released the first issue of Rage?''
Justin tilted his head about as he recalled. ''You threw a giant Rage-themed launch party at Babylon.''
''We could do that again you know.''
''What?''
''Throw it a party. A Snix party. I still have those contacts. I could buy some print ads, get it featured on some online blogs, throw it a launch party, call some press-''
''We could hire some women to walk around dressed up as Snix like we had guys dressed up as Rage at the Rage party-oh my god, Brittany would die if she saw a dozen Snix's just walking around!''
''If we promote this and get people interested we could charge an arm and a leg for people to get in and then you'd be able to donate twenty times the amount to charity.''
''You would do all of that?''
''I did it all before, for the Rage launch. I think Snix should probably arrive in the same style. How long before you guys finish it?''
''Well, Britt pretty much already cranked out the story, it's really all down to the artwork. With this new software I'm using it's a lot faster to get things done than it used to be. Michael was saying with the rate we're going now we could probably have it done in less than two weeks.''
Brian suddenly had a million and one ideas running through his head. He was always quite proud of Rage, not just because the graphic novel made him out as a hero, but because Justin and Michael put their hearts into it. And if Justin was coming back to it for one issue, he was going to support and promote the shit out of it, and also have this Snix character make a smash as she entered the Rage verse.
''Two weeks tops? Fuck, that's quick. Do you think Cyndi Lauper would ever come back to Babylon after what happened the last time she was here?''
''Why?''
''Well if we're throwing a giant ass launch party we're going to need some entertainment,'' said Brian, sounding boyishly excited. ''We should call her up and see if she's game to come back to Babylon.''
''You're just, what, going to call up a major legendary music icon and ask her to perform?''
''She came once before, why not again. I'm Brian fucking Kinney, I can do anything.''
''That's true,'' Justin said, going back in for a kiss that quickly went from playful to passionate. ''Now take your pants off and bend over.''
X
''Just once? For me? Pleeeeease? I just want to see you in them once!'' Brittany begged playfully.
She and Santana were back in the loft, readying themselves as they stood in front of the closet area, sifting through their clothes trying to decide on their outfits for the evening out. It was kind of a difficult task for Santana because the outfit would have to work for Debbie's birthday bash as well as the bar later on.
''For the last time, no, never,'' Santana laughed. ''Britt, I can pretty much rock anything that I admit and I even let you pick out that ridiculously sexy lingerie set for me when we went shopping with Daphne, but you will never ever ever talk me into wearing suspenders!''
''But you'd be so cute!''
''No, you look cute in suspenders. I'd look like an idiot.''
''That's impossible, but fine.'' Brittany gave up, placing the suspenders in her hands back into the closet and picking out one of her own dresses which she began changing into then and there.
Santana meanwhile began stripping down to her underwear before walking into the connecting bathroom, leaving the door wide open. She went to the counter where they both had their make up laid out and began applying some to herself within the mirror.
''So what did you think of Mel and Linds?'' Brittany asked, raising her voice slightly for herself to be heard. ''Amazing right?''
Brittany had always known that was possible, for two women to be together and happy and successful but she knew Santana had probably never entertained the idea, let alone seen a positive, stable loving relationship like that. She hoped her girlfriend got something out of seeing these two slightly older women happy and thriving.
''Two kids...grown up professionally jobs...you could just look at them and know that they totally work as, like, a team,'' Brittany carried on. ''Lindsay and Melanie are smoking hot, married and totally owning everything. They're like Tibette from The L Word, except not totally and completely mind numbingly boring.''
Santana's laughed echoed slightly from within the bathroom. ''Oh-hoooo! Spot on, spot on. And Lindsay is way hotter than Tina Kennard too.''
''You would think that,'' chuckled Brittany as she slipped into her shoes.
''You don't?''
''Oh no, I agree Lindsay is beautiful, she and Mel both are, but you would say Lindsay was hotter. It was soooo obvious when we were hanging with them, you were totally crushing on her.''
''I was not! What?! I do not crush on people. People crush on me.''
''Sweetie,'' Brittany hollered, tickled by Santana's denial. ''Each time you said something funny you would look at Lindsay like a little puppy dog, wanting her attention, just hoping that she would laugh.''
''I did not!''
Brittany exhaled in exaggeration and took on a faux dramatic tone as if she was reading from a stuffy script. ''I guess I have to do the honorable thing now and step aside so that you two can be together! Twas a love I could never compete with! But know I shall think of you and what we had, however brief!''
Santana walked back into the room, slapping Brittany's ass in passing, making the blonde burst out into laughter at her own teasing tone.
''Whatever,'' Santana said, rolling her eyes.
''At least now I know you have a thing for blondes.'' Brittany smiled and got back to the topic of conversation. ''Seriously though, you gotta admit it's something else to see that up close and personal right in front of us. How can you not think Mel and Linds are awesome?''
''It is awesome, and they are,'' Santana said, making for the dress she had already set aside for herself and stepping into it. Once she was zipped up and slipped into her own heels, she came to stand beside Brittany. She reached out to stroke blonde hair affectionately. ''I don't know what life is going to look like for us in five or ten years...who does...but...watching them...talking with them...now I know we have more than just one possibility. What me and you can have...is anything.''
Santana leaned in to kiss her tenderly and Brittany sank into the embrace, letting herself fall into it completely, closing her eyes and giving into those amazing lips. Feeling the warmth and love being pressed into her. As Santana's fingertips slowly played about her scalp she felt tingles all up and down her spine. Her heart skipped a beat.
She didn't see it coming when Santana pulled away from their kiss to gently grasp her head and in rapid succession plant a dozen moist, wet kisses to the side of Brittany's face, making those lippy-smacky sounds on her this time very much in the same manner Brittany had kissed all over her at the diner.
''Ohhhh, what!'' Brittany wiggled out of the other girl's arms and placed a hand to her cheek. When she brought it back down it was covered in lipstick marks.
Santana exploded into hysterical mad laughter.
''Santana!'' Brittany groaned, wincing at her lipstick and saliva covered cheek. ''I didn't have lipstick on when I did that to you. Damn it, now I have to do my make up again!''
''Payback, baby.''
Brittany slumped her shoulders and walked into the bathroom to wash her face off.
''Who's the wittle cupcake now, huh?''
''You are!'' Brittany comically shouted back defiantly.
Amused with Brittany's cute pouting and the payback she had just delivered Santana plopped herself back onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling with a giant smile on her face.
It's amazing how far one can come in a short matter of time, she thought. When you find yourself in a place where you can feel safe, with people who see who you are and accept it without hesitance, without question, with people who understand.
She was growing in peculiar ways, and she couldn't for their night to begin.
X
A/N: during the final editing stage I realized this chapter was crazy long so I split it up, and because of that this one feels off to me when I read it over. If there wasn't enough Brittana interaction I apologize, I think that is due to the splintering of the chapter. When read as a 40 page chapter, there's substantial Brittana, when I cut it up in half so it's more easily digestible for readers it feels like there's less Brittana...if that makes any sense.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, I hope the scenes with the other characters weren't too boring to read, but they kinda had to exist in order to set some future stuff up. I promise we'll get back to more Brittana goodness very soon. :D
The next chapter is Deb's party, Mel and Linds make a little announcement, Brittana's duet at karaoke and more dancing at Babylon.
Question: Mel and Linds have two kids and I was thinking what if in an upcoming chapter Britt and Santana somehow get stuck babysitting? Yay, nay? I just want to see them play with kids because it could be cute and funny and sweet. I have a soft spot for Santana interacting with kids in fanfic. It makes me all mushy.